‘Dirty Old Town’ coming to Ingalls Memorial Library in Rindge

An industrial scene in Salford. One of the cities that bordered Manchester, Salford became a prime target for industrialization in the mid-19 th century, due to its proximity to the River Irwell. COURTESY PHOTO

”Barney’s Steps, Collyhurst.” Built in 1892, this structure spans the River Irk and now-abandoned railway lines. Once part of the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway, it provided local residents a way to get from Collyhurst Road to Cheetham Hill. COURTESY PHOTO

“The Flower Pot Inn, Red Bank.” In this image from 1934, the inn stands alone in the midst of derelict houses slated for demolition. COURTESY PHOTO

Published: 09-18-2024 12:03 PM

Rindge nh

Artist and author Eric Stanway recalls that his childhood in the old industrial city of Manchester, England was a smoky and filthy one – and yet, still somehow fascinating.

“I can remember the factories, the cobblestone streets, the smoke stacks, the rows of tiny terraced houses, the smell of coal smoke in the air,” he stated. “Dark as it was, I still found it fascinating.”

Stanway’s visions of his hometown are brought to life in a series of 10 oil paintings, collectively titled “Dirty Old Town.” The exhibit opens on Sept. 21 and runs until Oct. 31 at Ingalls Memorial Library, 203 Main St., Rindge. The opening reception will be on Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Since Stanway moved to the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, he has seen significant changes in Manchester, as whole swaths of history are wiped away, in the name of modernization. Where there were once neighborhoods, there are now skyscrapers and luxury condominiums. The slum clearance program that began in the 1970s displaced thousands of working men and women.

“I saw a lot of older people just wandering around in a daze,” Stanway stated. “It was if their entire world had been stripped away.”

While acknowledging that these places were filthy, cramped and unhealthy, Stanway still thinks that it’s important to recognize the importance of documenting history.

“We have to remember that generations spent their whole lives here,” he stated. “This is a whole world that has since vanished, and we have to recognize that.”

For information, go to ingallslibrary.com or ericstanway.net.

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